State of Delaware Archives: on Abortion

Alex Pires:
Would vote to fund Planned Parenthood

An audience member asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood.
Pires said he would vote to fund Planned Parenthood. He noted the irony of men constantly trying to legislate women's health issues.

Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012

Kevin Wade:
Not proud that Delaware has highest abortion rate

One audience member asked the candidates if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. Wade said no right should supersede any other right.
He said he was not proud Delaware has the highest per capita abortion rate in the nation. "I believe in life," he said.

Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012

Kevin Wade:
Funding to Planned Parenthood ok if not used for abortions

An audience member asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood. Wade said he would support some funding to Planned
Parenthood, but not if it would be used for abortions. "Planned Parenthood is not a central theme in healthcare for this country," he said. Wade said he would rather provide healthcare funding for children and the elderly.

Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012

Tom Carper:
Fund Planned Parenthood; contraception reduces abortion

One audience member asked if they thought human rights or religious rights were more important. Another asked if the candidates would vote to fund Planned Parenthood.

Carper said most religions instruct followers to treat others the way they would
like to be treated. "I think we have a moral obligation to show our faith by our deeds," he said. Carper said he would fund Planned Parenthood because 98 percent of women use contraception, and contraception will reduce the need for abortions.

Source: Cape Gazette on 2012 Delaware Senate debate
Oct 19, 2012

Chris Coons:
I respect stare decisis, and a woman's right to choose

O'DONNELL: My faith has matured over the years but regardless of my personal faith, when I go down to Washington, D.C., it is the constitution that I will defend and it is by the constitution that I will make all of my decisions.

COONS:
I'm interested in hearing whether it's the Constitution as passed by the founders, the Constitution of 1920, the Constitution of 1975, the Constitution of today. Because to me, protecting a woman's right to choose, protecting reproductive freedom,
and making sure that we've got on the record O'Donnell's views on things like prayer, abortion, evolution, is important. These aren't just random statements on some late-night TV show. These are relevant to her service in the United States
Senate, what sort of judges she would confirm, what sort of issues she would take up. I'm someone who stands firmly behind the constitution as it stands today. I respect stare decisis, the decided cases, the case law that governs the United States

Chris Coons:
Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?

COONS: I would support stem cell research.

Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.

COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical
research that includes embryonic stem cell research. I think there are critical advances that are being made and can be made in addressing some of the most difficult diseases that affect millions of Americans, and I frankly think if it is possible to do
so, we ought to be investing and making progress in this critical area of research.

O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult
stem cell research, not as much with embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money.

Q: What are your views on the federal allocation of funds used for stem cell research?

COONS: I would support stem cell research.

Q: We're talking about embryonic stem cell research.

COONS: Correct. I would support federal funding for medical
research that includes embryonic stem cell research.

O'DONNELL: I think if we took an intellectually honest look at the research that's been put out there, you will see that there is incredible advances with adult stem cell research, not as much with
embryonic stem cell research, because that is where this went on in the private sector. That is where investors would be putting their money.
I would point to a program called the Snowflake Babies, where they have had incredible success adopting these human embryos that are going to be discarded for medical waste.

Chris Coons:
Support embryonic stem cell research

Chris Coons:
Make abortion safe, legal and rare

The two candidates did split on social issues: They were asked about stem-cell research and abortion, specifically in cases of rape or incest. Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare."

Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Sep 16, 2010

Christine O`Donnell:
Converted to pro-life position

Coons reaffirmed his support for abortion rights, saying it should be "safe, legal and rare." O'Donnell recalled her personal history and her own conversion to a pro-life position.

O'Donnell did say she would support abortion in cases "where the life
of the mother" was at risk. She recalled that her own family faced that situation with her sister in the past, though she didn't elaborate. O'Donnell called instances where the life of the mother is at risk "a personal family decision."

Source: The Hill coverage of 2010 Delaware Senate debate
Sep 16, 2010

Jan Ting:
Supports parental notification, opposes late-term abortions

Ting is guarded about his stance on abortion. Asked repeatedly if he supports a woman’s right to choose abortion, Ting would not say yes or no. He said he supports parental notification for minors, opposes late-term abortions and that the issue belongs
before the U.S. Supreme Court. While he personally opposes abortion, Ting said, he has been on both sides of the “complicated’’ legal issue. Pressed for more clarity, he said: ”Jan Ting has given you his views. I’m not willing to put a label on myself.’’